The field of the present invention is ice skates.
The following U.S. patents are hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,484,148, 5,456,495, 5,383,674, 5,332,242, 5,318,310, 5,248,156, 4,826,183, 4,773,658, 4,453,727, 4,218,069, 4,150,837, 4,088,335, 4,085,944, 4,074,909, 4,071,938, 4,053,168, and 3,934,892, and U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 254,201, and 249,973.
In conventional ice skate assemblies such as those disclosed in the aforementioned referenced patents and those manufactured and sold by Canstar Sports Group, Inc. under the trademark TUUK, a molded plastic blade holder, which is designed to be attached to or integral with a skate boot, has a longitudinal slot or groove in which an ice skate blade is snugly received. The blade holder, either separately or in combination with a reinforcement member of greater rigidity, is designed to be in direct contact with the sides of the blade and, thereby, provides lateral support along the full longitudinal length of the blade. Greater support is typically provided toward the front and rear of the blade and less support in an around the center of the blade. The center sections are generally designed to provide increasing or non-varying lateral support to an underlying portion of the blade located generally behind the ball of the foot and increasing or non-varying as it extends toward the heel.
In operation, the support provided by the blade holder functions to inhibit the blade from freely flexing in the lateral direction along its longitudinal axis and twisting around its longitudinal axis. While conventional blade holders provide a certain degree of lateral and torsional support to the blade they nonetheless are capable of being twisted, flexed, and/or bent by the forces placed on them by the blade. Such deformations while perhaps beneficial in some circumstances may be detrimental to the efficient transfer of force between the skater and the skate blade and to the maneuverability of the skater.
Accordingly, a need exists for an improved ice skate that can efficiently transfer force so as to facilitate rapid acceleration and deceleration and yet achieve the desired maneuverability.
The present invention is directed to an ice skate including a blade holder and blade. The configuration of the combination provides decreasing, non-rigid and/or no lateral support in a section of the blade holder.
Accordingly, a first separate aspect of the present inventions comprises an ice skate having a blade holder and a blade. The blade holder comprises an elongate body extending from a front end section to a back end section. The blade includes a front end and a back end, the front end being enclosed by the front end section of the blade holder and the back end being enclosed by the back end section of the blade holder. The blade is rigidly laterally supported at the front end section of the blade holder; and a portion of at least one side of the blade located behind the front end section is laterally unsupported and displaced from the blade holder.
A second separate aspect of the present invention comprises an ice skate having a blade, a blade holder, and an elastic non-rigid support member. The blade includes a first and second side, an upper surface, an ice engaging surface generally opposed to the upper surface, and a forward section. The blade holder rigidly laterally supports the blade at the forward section of the blade. A portion of the first side of the blade located behind the forward section is displaced from the blade holder. An elastic non rigid support member is interposed between the blade holder and the portion of the first side of the blade located behind the forward section of the blade that is displaced from the blade holder.
A third separate aspect of the present invention comprises an ice skate having a blade holder and a blade. The blade holder includes a front member having a front end section, a back member having a back end section, the front member extending from the front end section toward the back member and the back member extending from the back end section toward the front member. The blade includes a front end and a back end, the front end being enclosed by the front member and the back end being enclosed by the back member, the blade being rigidly laterally supported at the front end section. A portion of at least one side of the blade located behind the front end section is unsupported and displaced from the blade holder.
A fourth separate aspect of the present invention comprises an ice skate having a blade and a blade holder. The blade holder includes a front member generally underlying the toe region and the forward metatarsal area of the sole, a back member generally underlying the heel of the sole, and a center section longitudinally extending from the front member to the back member. The center section includes a portion that is more laterally rigid toward the front member than the back member. The blade is laterally supported at the front end section of the blade holder.
A fifth separate aspect of the present invention comprises an ice skate having a blade holder and a blade. The blade holder includes a front end section, a back end section and a center section longitudinally extending between the front end section and the back end section. A portion of the center section located behind the ball of the foot has continuous decreasing lateral rigidity extending toward the heel of the foot. The blade is laterally supported at the front end section of the blade holder.
In a sixth separate aspect of the present invention it is contemplated that elements of the aforementioned aspects of the present invention may be combined.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ice skate that can improve maneuverability and yet can be efficient in the transfer of acceleration and deceleration forces. Other and further objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.